O.J. Simpson Trials: Criminal vs. Civil One of the most confusing aspects of the OJ Simpson saga for laypersons was that Simpson was apparently tried twice for his crimes, despite the protection against 'double jeopardy' or being retried for the same offense. In the American justice system, once a defendant is tried for murder, even if new evidence is discovered against him or her, there can be no retrial for the same crime (Grubbs 2016). The distinction is that Simpson was first tried in criminal court and was found guilty but was then tried in civil court in a suit brought by the family of the victims of the crimes, who demanded financial restitution for the wrongful death of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman (Grubbs 2016). The burden of proof in civil court is far less onerous than in criminal court, given that defendants can only be penalized with fines, not with having to give up their liberty. The burden of proof in civil court is merely the preponderance of the evidence versus beyond a reasonable doubt as in criminal court. "According to Cornell University Law School, that 'preponderance of evidence' means that at least '50% of the evidence points to something,' rather than requiring...
(Grubbs 2016).
Criminal Justice System: Criminal Cases and Civil Cases Civil and Criminal Liability Civil cases are private disputes arising between individuals following violations of legal responsibilities owed to each other. Criminal cases, on the other hand, involve wrongs committed against the state, and which are regarded as harmful to society as a whole, as opposed to a single individual. This text compares civil and criminal cases with the aim of identifying differences and
OJ Simpson Versus the People: Impact on Criminal justice The American criminal justice process and system are responsible for shaping the present-day US laws; influential entities include even 19th-century governmental authorities and political leaders. The system, which comprises law enforcement bodies like local police forces, correctional facilities and criminal courts, was primarily created for ensuring American citizens’ safety. It constitutes a structural framework that facilitates the maintenance of law and order
Civil vs. Criminal Law Goals The American justice system differentiates between civil (tort) and criminal law, with the most significant distinction being that the state generally has the authority to prosecute crimes but not torts, while individuals have the power to directly bring civil but not criminal charges. The goals of a criminal case are to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused, but also to uphold the tenets of the
Research Question and Introduction Development Topic: Safeguarding the criminal justice system from wrongful convictions through an efficient innocence program Research Question: What aspects of the innocence program need improvement, and in what ways, in order to guard the judicial system from wrongful convictions? (Rossi, Lipsey & Freeman, 2004) Introduction Wrongful conviction is an abuse of justice. It entails the sentencing and subsequent punishment of someone for crimes they never committed (Huff & Killias, 2013).
Civil versus Criminal Liability Introduction Criminal justice practitioners do have a civil liability that puts them at risk of being sued by the public. The purpose of civil liability is to encourage accountability and responsible in the field of criminal justice. For that reason, “local governments can now be held liable for the conduct of police officers and jail personnel. In addition, sheriffs, police chiefs, and mid- level supervisors can be held
If police officers are not sufficiently deterred by the prospect of evidence being suppressed at a hearing where a person's liberty is in jeopardy, it is a fortiori that they will not be deterred by the possibility of suppression at a civil forfeiture hearing where only the person's property is in jeopardy. Law enforcement officials have much to gain in the outcome of the issues raised in Scott, and will
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now